If I Fail
by Judas
Summary: A short POV piece during Boromir's fight to protect Merry and Pippin. In his last moments, he believes himself a failure...


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plot--everything else belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. Also, please forgive small inaccuracies as I wrote this without being able to watch the scene to make sure I got things right. ^^; Also, this is in the movieverse. Don't hate me for it! =P Hope you enjoy!  
  
  
  
_**If I Fail**_  
  
I let the ring cause me to betray my promise to protect Frodo. I failed him, but I won't fail them! The Uruk-hai will not have the Little Ones. I place myself between the halflings and the black wave coming towards us. I feel a rock whistle past my ear, and risk a glance over my shoulder.  
  
Merry and Pippin are throwing stones at our enemy. I would grin, but I have to move quickly when one of the Uruk-hai takes a particularly vicious swing at me. Even as I am fighting, I feel a slight and defiant grin curl my lips. They will _not _take Merry and Pippin. I will not let them. I manage to get a chance to sound the horn of Gondor--although I'm sure we can win, I don't like the odds. It would be very useful to have the others' assistance right now.  
  
Cursing mentally I throw an order over my shoulder to the hobbits. "Run! Run!"  
  
My sword slices through a neck and quickly changes direction to stab through a chest plate. I can feel blood spatter across my face, and I automatically wipe it away. When I turn to drive back another Uruk-hai who tries to slip past me, I hear a startled shout--I can't tell if it's Merry or Pippin, but I immediately turn back towards the hill.  
  
Just in time for an arrow to strike below my shoulder. I stumble but I know that I cannot give up yet. I have to protect them--I will not fail again. I grit my teeth against the searing pain and swing my sword, striking down another Uruk-hai. There is already a large pile of bodies, but not nearly enough... more of the monsters keep swarming towards us.  
  
Just as I raise my sword again, another arrow strikes me. My eyes widen and I let out a choked noise. I hear Pippin's startled cry as I drop to my knees. The world seems to slow down around me for a moment and I turn my head to look at the hobbits.  
  
Both of them have frozen in their places, staring at me with wide eyes. Pippin cries out and Merry drops the rock he'd been prepared to throw. As I look at them, I realize just how awful this has been for them. They're innocent... they knew nothing of the horrors of battle before they joined the Fellowship... they don't deserve such pain and hardship. They don't belong here... they belong back in the Shire.  
  
The Uruk-hai draw closer, and I know now that I would die before I let the Little Ones be taken.  
  
I surge to my feet with a shout of rage and strike several of the monsters down. I can feel nothing save the pain, but I ignore it. _You will not have them!_  
  
In mid swing, I feel the third arrow tear into my flesh. The dull thud seems to amplify a hundred fold in my own ears. It bears a sound a finality. I drop to my knees again, and this time I cannot rise. I feel the last of my energy drain away and my limbs grow heavy. The Uruk-hai swarm past me, and I hear Merry and Pippin's cries. They cry out to me, but I cannot move.  
  
The enemy has them...  
  
Forgive me Merry, Pippin... I've failed you, too.  
  
I slowly raise my head as one of the Uruk-hai stops in front of me. Ah, he is the one with the bow. He raises it again, aiming for my heart. I've not the strength to move, or I would strike him down where he stood, and go after the Little Ones.  
  
A drawn out creak as he pulls the arrow back.  
  
I am resigned to my fate. I close my eyes.  
  
Suddenly there is a yell and Aragorn flings himself at the creature, knocking it off balance. I ignore the fighting and manage to drag myself out of the way. It would do no good to accidentally trip Aragorn up. Perhaps if things weren't so bleak, I would have found a small bit of humor in that thought.  
  
I collapse against a tree, staring upwards to the sky. This was it... I will die here. I will never know if this world will be saved. I'll never know if Merry and Pippin...  
  
I choke on that thought. My last vision of them was two identical expressions of horror as I was shot down--as they were scooped up by Uruk-hai and carried off.  
  
Failed.  
  
My wandering thoughts are pushed out of my mind when an out of breath Aragorn suddenly drops to his knees at my side. He is bloodied, but not terribly wounded. He must have killed the Uruk-hai...  
  
"They took the Little Ones," I gasp out, desperate for someone to save them where I could not. Aragorn is still able to carry on... surely he could...  
  
Frustration seeps into me as Aragorn tries to stop the blood that flowed from my shoulder. I push away his hand weakly. "Frodo... where is Frodo?"  
  
"I let Frodo go."  
  
I hold his gaze for a moment. "Then you did what I could not... I tried to take the ring from him..."  
  
"The ring is beyond our reach now."  
  
I feel a sharp pain that is not entirely physical. "Forgive me, I did not see... I have failed you all..."  
  
Aragorn's expression changes, and he looks at me with a mix of sympathy and sadness. "No, Boromir. You fought bravely. You have kept your honor."  
  
As he tries again to tend my wounds, I push his hand away once more. "Leave it! It is over... the world of Men will fall and all will come to darkness, and my city to ruin... Aragorn..." I stop. The pain is too much. I do not wish to think of my beautiful homeland destroyed...  
  
"I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you... I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail..."  
  
The words bring some small comfort, and I feel myself try to smile. "Our people... our people..."  
  
Aragorn places the my sword in my outstretched hand, and my fingers tighten around the hilt. I manage a smile for him. He is truly a great man. I know now. "I would have followed you, my brother... my captain... my King."  
  
As the words slip past my lips, the color slowly bleeds out of the world around my and my vision fades. I am so tired... I'll go now. There is nothing left I can do. Aragorn will see that everything ends as it should. He will find Merry and Pippin, and bring them back.  
  
I have not failed. 


End file.
